Reston-area residents will no longer have to trek to the Fairfax County Courthouse to access some basic court services.
The Fairfax Circuit Court, which serves both the county and Fairfax City, announced today that it will open a satellite location next Tuesday, May 14 in the Cathy Hudgins Community Center at Southgate (12125 Pinecrest Road) in Reston.
Going forward, the remote site will open on the second Tuesday of every month from 9 a.m. to noon. Services available at the site will include marriage license application processing, access to certified copies of court records and free notary services.
“We are very excited to be offering this inaugural location for satellite services,” Fairfax Clerk of Court Chris Falcon said in a press release. “This expansion is a testament to our commitment to better serve the community and make Circuit Court resources more accessible. The opening of the new satellite office marks a significant milestone for Fairfax Circuit Court, and we are excited about the opportunities it will bring.”
Elected in November to succeed longtime circuit court clerk John Frey, who retired at the end of 2023 after 32 years, Falcon made expanding access to court services and public records a central focus of his campaign.
According to the press release, Falcon’s office is behind the effort to provide satellite court services in conjunction with Fairfax County. The Reston site will serve as a pilot that could be expanded in the future.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors directed county staff in March to review the possibility of establishing remote kiosks that could provide legal information in different languages with an artificial intelligence-powered virtual assistant.
Camila Alfonzo Meza, a public information officer for the circuit court, says the proposed kiosks are a separate initiative from the satellite location in Reston, which will be staffed by two or three circuit court clerks when open.
“Although we hope to be able to expand the services we can offer, I don’t know what that will look like at this time,” Alfonzo Meza told FFXnow. “It is the first time we are offering satellite services and we hope to use this as an opportunity to shape future initiatives.”
Located in the Fairfax County Courthouse at 4110 Chain Bridge Road, the Fairfax Circuit Court is Virginia’s largest trial court with 15 full-time trial judges. It tries felony criminal cases, civil cases and misdemeanor and traffic cases appealed from the county’s general district and juvenile courts.